The slugger is certainly doing his part to give the Dodgers some
separation in the division race. And Los Angeles sure seems to
be back on track after losing three straight to Atlanta over the
weekend.

"When you play 162 games, things like this are going to happen.
We're fine," Ramirez said. "We've still got two months to go, so
it doesn't matter if we come here and win three or lose two.
We've still got to push it 'til the end."

Andre Ethier doubled twice and drove in two runs for the NL
West-leading Dodgers, who increased their division lead over the
Giants to 7 1/2 games and hold a 7-4 edge in the season series
after winning the first two games of this series.

Matt Kemp added a three-run homer three batters after Ramirez
connected in the seventh and many fans in the sellout crowd of
41,167 quickly started heading for the exits.

When Manny's doing his thing, everybody prospers.

"It takes pressure off the other guys who are trying to pick up
the slack," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "I saw patience.
Obviously the first two times up he didn't need much patience.
He has good plate coverage. He had two strikes against him when
he hit the home run."

Boos rained down on Ramirez each time he stepped into the
batter's box - as will likely be the case away from Mannywood -
but he silenced the crowd when he crushed a 1-2 pitch from
Brandon Medders and sent it deep into the left-field seats.

Ramirez's seventh homer since returning from a 50-game
suspension and 13th overall helped Randy Wolf (6-6) win for the
first time in four starts.

Ramirez struck out looking to end the eighth, thinking he had
drawn a walk. Ramirez has struck out 20 times in his last 17
games.

"He's been swinging the bat well the past three or four days.
He's starting to feel it and come around," Kemp said of Ramirez.

The Giants had hoped to use these games to gain ground. Instead,
they have dropped consecutive home series for the first time all
season.

Giants starter Joe Martinez (2-1) pitched well until running
into trouble in the fifth.

That inning, Russell Martin reached on second baseman Eugenio
Velez's fielding error when he couldn't catch a low throw from
Martinez.

"It turned the whole game around, there's no getting around it,"
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It was a routine double-play
ball and Joe threw a sinker to second Eugenio couldn't handle
and it turned the whole game around."

Wolf allowed one run and three hits in eight innings and retired
16 of his final 19 batters as the Dodgers won for the fifth time
in their last six road games.

In his second career start after winning his first one at
Houston on Aug. 5. Martinez came off the 60-day disabled list
before that outing to pitch in the majors for the first time
since being struck in the head by a line drive from Milwaukee's
Mike Cameron on April 9.

Velez had his career-best 16-game hitting streak snapped but
drove in the Giants' lone run with a third-inning groundout.

San Francisco second baseman Freddy Sanchez missed the game
after tweaking his left shoulder on a swing Monday.

The Giants had planned to activate outfielder Nate Schierholtz
from the disabled list but pushed back the move to make sure
they had adequate depth in the infield. Fan favorite Rich
Aurilia could be the odd man out when Schierholtz does return,
probably Wednesday.

Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson was held out of the lineup
after leaving Monday night's 4-2 victory with a left groin
injury.

NOTES: RHP Jeff Weaver will start Wednesday's series finale for
the Dodgers. ... Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval celebrated his 23rd
birthday. ... Los Angeles optioned LHP Eric Stults to Triple-A
Albuquerque to bring up Charlie Haeger as a long man for
Wednesday to back up Weaver. ... Giants CF Aaron Rowand was back
in the starting lineup after leaving Sunday's game against
Cincinnati in the sixth with a strained hamstring. ... Giants
aces Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain ordered their red All-Star
jerseys and handed them out to teammates Tuesday.